Hair cutting guide



Dec. 20, 1955 E. F. GOMME HAIR CUTTING GUIDE Filed Aug. 14, 1952 INVEHTOR ESTHER E GOMME United, States Patent HAIR currmocumn Esther F. Gomme, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Application August 14, 1952, Serial No. 304,235

Claims. (Cl. 132-45 i This invention relates to a guide for enabling a person to cut hair to certain lengths.

The main purpose of this invention is the provision of a hair cutting guide which will enable a woman successfully to cut her own hair.

In the past, graduated or,stylized hair cutting necessitated the aid of an experienced hairdresser or barber.

With the increasing popularity of home permanents for women, which method women now use without the assistance of the commercially qualified hairdresser, it is particularly desirable to be able to cutones own hair preparatory to a home permanent.

The present hair cutting guide enables a person to cut er own hair with or without the aid of a mirror and without danger of cutting it too short at any point. This guide may be easily moved to any part of the head, and it is designed so that the hair may be cut to a specified length. Furthermore, the guide may be adjusted to enable the hair to be cut to different lengths at different parts of the head.

This hair cutting guide comprises a finger stall of any desired design into which a finger may be inserted, and a guide plate of a predetermined length projecting outwardly from the stall, said plate being so positioned relative to the stall that it extends longitudinally of the finger therein when the device is in use. If desired, the stall may be made adjustable to fit fingers of different sizes, and it is preferable to hingedly connect the plate to the stall. In addition to this, the plate may be removably connected to the stall in order that plates of ditferent lengths may be employed.

An example of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a perspective view of the hair cutting guide,

Figure 2 is an end view of the guide,

Figure 3 is a side elevation thereof,

Figure 4 diagrammatically illustrates the guide being used with a strand of hair ready to be cut,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative form of the invention,

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, 10 is a finger stall having a guide plate 11 connected thereto. The finger stall may be any desired construction, but it preferably includes an elongated shield 12 which is curved in cross section to fit over the top of an index finger to protect said finger from being cut. Suitable means is provided for retaining the stall on the finger, and this may be in the form of semi-flexible bands 13 and 14 connected to the edges of the shield substantially midway between the ends thereof. These bands are such that they may be moved to different positions and yet will remain in the positions to which they are moved. The inner or free ends of these bands overlap, as shown at 15 in Figure 2.

The guide plate 11 is preferably hingedly connected to the finger stall 10, and this connection may be made in any desired manner. For example, a hinge 18 may 2,727,522 Patented Dec. 20, 1955 be provided for this purpose, part of the hinge being formed on the plate, and part on the stall, as shown. This hinge includes a pin 21 having a head 22 on one end thereof.. It is desirable that the pin may be removable in order that guide plates of different lengths may be connected to the stall.

Each guide plate 11 is designed to extend outwardly from the finger stall 10 a predetermined distance. For example, the plate may be two and one-half inches long in order that the hair may be cut to approximately this length. The outer end of the plate may be curved at 25 in order that said end will approximately fit the curve of the scalp.

In order to use the cutting guide, the stall 10 is slipped over the index finger after the bands 13 and 14 have been adjusted to fit the finger. With the guide plate 11 in a substantially horizontal position, the index finger and the next finger to it are moved through the hair close to the scalp. When a desired strand of hair is between these fingers, the latter are moved outwardly from the scalp squeezing the strand of hair between them. At the same time, the guide plate is pressed downwardly with its outer end against the scalp by the thumb of the hand on which the device is mounted. As soon as the plate extends straight out from the scalp with its free end touching the latter, the person using the device may cut off the ends of the hair extending outwardly from between the two fingers with scissors in the other hand. The scissors may be moved along the shield 12 so that there is no danger of either finger being cut at this time.

Figure 4 diagrammatically illustrates the device in operation. In this figure, 28 represents an index finger in the stall, and 29 the next finger. A strand of hair 30 is grasped between these fingers and the latter are drawn outwardly from the scalp until the guide plate 11 may be moved into position with its free edge against the scalp by means of the thumb 31 of the hand operating the device. The portion of the strand 30 above the stall and finger may now be cut 011 without fear of the hair being cut too short.

According to present hair styles, the hair may be different lengths throughout various areas of the head. In view of this, several guide plates 11 may be provided of dilferent lengths. In the illustrated example, it is a very simple matter to grasp the head 22 of pin 21 to withdraw the latter from the hinge connection between the stall and plate. When the required plate is moved into position, the pin is returned to hold it there.

Figures 5 and 6 show an alternative form of finger stall connected to the guide plate 11. In this example, a finger stall 40 is formed from a single piece of flexible material, such as a pliable, springy plastic. This material has a wide flap 42 projecting outwardly therefrom along one edge, said flap tapering outwardly substantially to a point 43. A narrow flap 45 projects outwardly from the opposite side of the material of the stall substantially midway between the opposite ends thereof. This flap may also converge substantially to a point 46. Tubular hinge elements 48 and 49 are formed along the edge of the stall in line with another tubular hinge 50 on the guide plate 11 to receive a pin 21 to form a hinge connection between the stall and the plate.

The material of the finger stall 40 is curled so that the wide flap 42 overlaps the narrow flap 45 which is curled inside the former, see Figure 6. When it is desired to insert a finger in the stall, it is only necessary to move the flaps relative to each other against the curl of the material sufficiently to enable the finger to be inserted therein. The hair cutting guide functions in exactly the same manner as described above.

It is possible fixedly to connect the guide plate to the finger stall. In this case, it is necessary to roll the finger or slip the stall around the latter when it is desired to the. outer nd of the plate towards the. scalp. Furthermore, the term sta is intended to include any means for mounting the guide plate on a finger.

What; I claim as my invention is:

l. A hair cutting guide comprising a finger stall into which a finger may be inserted, and a guide plate ara length for a predetermined length of hair hingedlyconnected to the stall and projecting outwardly therefrom, said plate and its hinge extending longitudinally of the finger when the device is in use, and said plate being movable into one position projecting outwardly from the stall and into another position substantially at right angles to the first position.

2. A hair cutting device comprising an elongatedfinger stall, means for adjusting the stall to fit fingersofdife ferent sizes, and a guide plate of a length for a .predetermined length of hair projecting outwardly from and extending longitudinally of the stall, said plate being hingedly connected to the stall whereby it may be moved intov difierent positions relative to. the latter substantially at right angles to each other.

3. A hair cutting device comprising an elongated finger stall, means for adjusting the stall to fit fingers of different sizes, and a guide plate of a length for-a'pre determined length of hair projecting outwardly from and extending longitudinally of the stall, said plate being removably and hingedly connected to the stall whereby it may be moved into difierent positions relative to the latter substantially at right angles to each other.

mamas 4. A hair cutting guide comprising an elongated finger 1311, said being long. enough to cover and shield most of a finger inserted therein, and a guide plate of a length for a predetermined length of hair hingedly connected to and projecting outwardly from the stall and extending longitudinally thereof, said plate being movable into and inoperative position projecting outwardly from the stall and into anotherpositfron substantially at right angles to the first position to act as a guide for cutting hair by means ofsei'ss'ors bearing against the stall.

A-h ir cu ng; guide. ompr sing, an long finger stall, said stall being long'enough to cover and shield most-05a finger inserted therein, and a guide plate of a length for a predetermined length, of hair hingedly and removably connected to and projecting outwardly from the stall and extending longitudinally thereof, the outer edge of said plate being curved inwardly from end to end thereof, said plate being movable into an inoperative position projecting outwardly from the stall and into another position substantially at right angles to the first posit-ion to actas 'a'guide for-cutting haid by means ofscissors bearing" against the stall.

"References Cited: in the file of'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

